Fluid distributing member



June 29, 1965 L. 'r. STOYKE 3,191,529

. FLUID DISTRIBUTING MEMBER Filed Feb. 16, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INvEN'mR. LUDWIG T. STOYKE ATTORNEY June 29, 1965 1.. 1'. STOYKE 3,

FLUID DISTRIBUTING MEMBER Filed Feb. 16, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. LUDWIG T. STOYKE ATTORNEY June 29, 1965 L. 1'. STOYKE FLUID DISTRIBUTING MEMBER 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 16, 1962 FIG.

Fleis- IN VEN TOR. LUDWIG TI STOYKE ATTORNEY June 29, 1965 L. 'r. STOYKE 3,191,629

FLUID DISTRIBUTING MEMBER Filed Feb. 16, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENT OR.

LUDWIG T. STOYKE BY ATTORNEY United States Patent This invention pertains to a fluid distributing and receiving member of a mechanical transducer. More particularly, this invention relates to a fluid distributing and receiving member in a transducer which is adapted to change fluid energy into mechanical energy and mechanical energy into fluid energy.

In prior known hydraulic motorsythe piston block rotates causing inertia loading and excessive side loading to the pistons. The device of this invention is utilized with a stationary piston block design to reduce the side forces on the piston through the elimination of the centrifugal effects normally caused by a rotating cylinder block.

In prior known hydraulic motors, the fluid distributing and receiving member or pintle also carries the load of the motor which causes the pintle to deflect thereby excessively wearing the pintle. The fluid distributing and receiving member of the device of this invention carries no load, so that the member does not deflect and rub against its bearing surfaces. Hence the fluid distributing and receiving member has a long wear-life.

One of the problems associated with hydraulic motors, valves, pumps, and the like, is that the orifices in the 3,191,629 Patented June 29, 1965 with a fluid motor or with a fluid pump without change in the basic structure.

By fluid is meant the customary scientific definition of the term, viz., liquids, vapors and gases.

The fluid distributing and receiving member of this invention will be described with reference to a hydraulic motor wherein the energy is injected as fluid energy and is removed as a mechanical shaft rotation. However, it is again to be stres'sed'that the invention is not limited to use in a motor nor to a device which utilizes a liquid as a working fluid.

Referring now to the figures, and in particular to FIG. 3, shaft 18 is mounted for rotation relative to housing 10 upon bearings 78, 86 and 88. Wobble plate 80 is mounted upon bearings (shown generally at 82 and 84) obliquely to shaft 18 to transmit energy between shaft 18 and a plurality of pistons (shown in FIG. 7 and shown at 60 and 65 in FIG. 3).

Fluid port 14 is connected to conduit 22 in one end of piston block 20 and thence to a high pressure dispensing groove 27 in piston block 20. Dispensing grove 27 extends around pintle 26 and is generally annular in shape with an enlarged portion adjacent conduit 22 (as shown in the upper half of FIG. 4).

Fluid distributing and receiving member 26 is adapted to distribute fluid radially to the pistons in the piston block 20, to receive fluid from said pistons, and to return fluid to fluid outlet port 16. In the specific embodiment shown herein, fluid distributing and receiving member 26 is a pintle which is splined to output shaft 18 to rotate therewith.

pintle have been of a design which permits sudden inrush or exhaust of fluid during operation cycles resulting in fluid pulsation in the system with resultant cavitation and noisy operation.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a novel fluid distributing and receiving member for fluidto-mechanical-energy transducer.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a fluid motor or pump having a novel fluid distributing and receiving member.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a pneumatic or hydraulic pump or motor having a novel fluid distributing and receiving member.

It is another object to provide a novel pintle which operates to reduce shocking to a pump or motor.

Other objects will become apparent from the followingv description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a profile view of a typical transducer containing the novel fluid receiving and distributing member of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a view taken from the right in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken at 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG, 4 is a sectional view taken at 44 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a sectional View taken at 5-5 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a sectional View taken at 66 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken at 77 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of the driven end of the pintle of the device shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 9 is a profile view of the pintle taken from the i Although the distributing member 26 is shown herein as a pintle, it is conceivable that member 26 could alternatively be a cylindrical member adapted to rotate around the outer periphery of piston block 20, to distribute fluid radially inward and to receive fluid radially outward.

Conduit 29 within pintle 26 is connected to receive fluid from groove 27 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Conduit 29 is connected to a distributing port or orifice 32 which is a semi-circumferential contoured orifice, the contour of which is adapted to distribute a'predetermined fluid flow to the piston conduits with which it happens to be in contact at any particular position. A prefrered contour of distributing orifice 32 is shown more particularly in FIG. 9. The contoured orifice 32 provides a gradual opening port during entrance and exit, thus avoiding shock and fluid pulsation in the system. As the pintle is rotated, a small portion of the cross-sectional area of the elongated contoured orifice is initially made available for fluid flow, then as the pintle rotates further, the portion of cross-sectional area of the contoured orifice, which is exposed for fluid flow, is gradually increased and more fluid is allowed to pass through the contoured orifice, Gradually increasing the fluid flow from zero to maximum in this manner eliminates fluid surge pressures and noise. As is seen in FIGS. 9 and 10, the contoured orifice is of elongated cross-section, circumferentially disposed about the periphery of the pintle. The boundary lines defining the orifice of elongated cross-section on the surface of the pintle (fluid distributing and receiving member) converge substantially to a point at two circumferentially spaced apart positions on the outer surface of the member and are disposed in spaced apart relationship intermediate these positions. The area of convergence is not necessarily'a point but can be an area where straight lines drawn tangent to the boundary lines are not parallel. When the orifice is made in a cylindrically-shaped body, as shown in the drawings, it can be formed by the removal of a segment which is cut out as by milling, sawing or other known methods, from the peripheral surface toward the axis of the cylinder along two different planes which intersect along a line within the body of the cylina: der, forming an angle therebetween of less than about 170. The time of intersection is preferably located between the axis of the cylinder and the peripheral surface on which the face of the orifice appears. One embodiment of this invention is to have the orifice formed in the body of a cylindrical member by removing a wedge shaped section to leave an opening in the cylindrical member which is bounded by the intersection of a first plane normal to the axisof the cylinder and a second plane inclined so as to intersect the first plane at an angle of less than about 85 The minimum angle between the intersecting planes can be. about 1". Alternatively, the orifice can be a channel in the outer peripheral surface, wherein the lines which bound the channel on'the per-ipheral surface come substantially to a point at least at two circumferentially spaced apart positions on the surface of the cylinder.

On the side of pintle 26 which is radially opposite groove 32, semi-circumferential grooves 39 and 40 are positioned and are connected to'high pressure conduit 29 by means of conduits 36 and 38. Grooves 39 and 4d are of predetermined size, area, and position to pressure balance pintle 26 so that high pressure fluid at orifice 32 does not cause pintle 26 to rub the edge of its associated cylinder. The relative position of grooves 39 and 4:0 and of orifices132 and 34, as well as conduits 36 and 38, are shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7.

A plurality of piston members (nine shown in the specific embodiment herein) are symmetrically and circumferentially arranged about the axis of rotation of shaft 13 and pintle 26 and are adapted to reciprocate in the direction of the axis of rotation of shaft i3 against wobble plate 8%). Each piston cylinder is connected by means of inders.

4 r to the axis of rotation and the plane of the outer race '74 could be oblique thereto.

If distributing means Ztiwere not a pintle but rather a cylinder surrounding the outer periphery of piston block 2t), thecylinder could be axially oscillated by means (for example) of a pair of bearing races and a single ball in a fashion similar to that explained above.

When operated as a fluid motor (for example, a liquid motor) high pressure fluid is introduced atport 14, into conduit 29 through dispensing groove 27, thence in a predetermined timed sequence into conduits 41-49 through metering orifice 32. The fluid is thereby applied in timed sequence and pressure to pistons nit-68. The pressure applied to pistons 6fl63 causes said pistons to move against wobble plate 80 to cause shaft 13 to turn. As shaft 18 turns, pintle 26 turns with shaft 13. The turning of pintle 26 causes orifice 32 to apply high pressure fluid in timed sequence to the pistons as described above. The turning of pintle 26 also exposes orifice 34 in timed sequence to conduits 41-49 to receive low pressure fluid from pistons 60-68. The low pressure fluid is expelled through conduit 3% and exit'port l6.

Pressure balance on pintle 26 is maintained by means of high pressure hydraulic fluid passing through conduits 36 and 38 to grooves 319 and 4t).

Oscillation of pintle 26 is achieved by virtue of the rolling of ball '16 in races '72 and 74-. It is to be noted in FIG. 8 that as ball 76 rolls around the races, the races must be in register at the position of the ball. Hence, as ball 76 rolls in races 72 and 74, consecutive portions of races 72 must be aligned with race '74 causing pintle 25 to oscillate axially.

T he speed of the motor is controlled by controlling the quantityv of flow of the working fluid through the motor.

When the device with the pintle of this invention is utilized as a pump, shaft 1% drives wobble plate 89 to cause pistons 66458 to reciprocate in their respective cyl- Pistons dtid$ reciprocate in timed sequence to cause low pressure fluid to be drawn inward through port 16, conduit 30, and orifice 34 and thence to be expelled under high pressure through orifice 38, conduit 29, and

piston cylinders, to receive fluid from or expel fluid to pintle 26.

Orifice 34, radially opposite orifice 32, in pintle 26 is a semi-circumferential slot with a contoured shape, adapted to receive fluid from conduits 41-4? in programmed flow, according to the position of orifice 34 relative to said conduits' Orifice 34 is connected through conduit 36 (shown in FIGS. 3 and 4) to receiving groove 23 in piston block 249. Receiving groove 28 extends around pintle 25 to receive hydraulic fluid therefrom and is of a generally annular shape with an enlarged portion adjacent conduit 24. Fluid is removed through conduit 24 and exit port 16. I

Pintle 26 is connected to shaft 18 to be. turned by means of splines 69 and 7d. Splines 69 and 7% allow pintle 26 to move axially while still receiving torque from shaft 18 As shown more particularly in FIGS. 7 and 8, the end of pintle 26 has a bearing race '72 which is positioned at an oblique angle relative to the axis of rotation of pintle 26; The outer race '74 is connected to piston block 20 and is normal to the axis of rotation of pintle 26. Ball '76 is positioned between races 72 and 74- and is adapted to roll without slipping within the races to thereby cause pintle 26 to oscillate in an axial direction at a frequency equal to the frequency of rotation of shaft 18 and pintle 2'6.

Referring again to the means for causing pintle 26 to plane of the outer race '74 normal to the axis of rotation while the plane of the inner race '72 is oblique thereto, the plane of the inner race '72 could be constructed normal port 14. Again, pintie 2 6 is balanced by high pressure fluid from conduit 29 being introduced through conduits 36 and 38 to slots 3d and 40.

As shaft 18 turns, pintle 26 turns therewith and (by means of the oscillating mechanism described above) is caused to oscillate in an axial direction. Pintle 26 is positioned on shaft 18 to deliver low pressure fluid in predetermined sequence to pistons 6tl68 and to receive high pressure fluid in a predetermined sequence in orifice 3.2.

The device with the fluid distributing and receiving member of this invention, then, may be utilized either as a fluid motor or a fluid pump. Furthermore, it is immaterial whether the device is utilized as a pneumatic or hydraulic device. In fact, it can also be utilized with vapors.

' It is to be particularly noted that the pump or motor described herein utilizes a fluid distributing means which does not carry a load, so that the means is not distorted and floats freely, carrying only its own weight and whatever stresses are present due to pressure differentials. Pressure differential stresses are reduced by the pressure balancing means which was described above. The fluid distributing and receiving means of this invention, then, rotates freely without significant distortion and serves only the purpose of distributing and receiving fluid.

By keeping the piston block stationary, the side piston loadings are reduced, which simplifies the problem of lubricating the piston.

The novel concept embodied in this invention of oscillating'the fluid distributing and receiving member (such as fluid distributing and receiving pintle 26) clears debris from between the moving members to prevent scoring and seizure of the parts.

It is an obvious extension of the device described herein that equivalent connecting mechanisms between the piston members and the output shaft may be utilized. For example, a crank shaft arrangement with the pistons radially actuated (rather than axially actuated as shown and described above) and a fluid distributing member external to the piston block (rather than internal as shown by pintle 26) could be utilized.

It is not intended, then, that the invention should be limited either by the description of the specific embodiment shown in the figures, nor by the description of the alternative embodiments described briefly in the specification, but only in accordance with the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A fluid receiving and distributing member for a mechanical transducer having a cylindrical peripheral surface, a contoured recess on said peripheral surface bounded by two lines on said peripheral surface which converge substantially to points at two circumferentially spaced apart locations, and

a fluid conduit means within said distributing member communicating with said recess and an orifice in the surface of said distributing member permitting fluid to flow therethrough between said recess and said orifice.

2. The fluid receiving and distributing member of claim 1 characterized in that it has a second recess located substantially radially opposite to said contoured recess on said peripheral surface,

a second conduit means in said member communicating with said fluid conduit means and said second recess,

whereby fluid under substantially the same pressure is located on radially opposite sides of said member, thereby providing a means of pressure balancing said member.

3. In a mechanical transducer having a bore and in the walls thereof, a fluid inlet port, a fluid outlet port and ports leading to power transmitting chambers,

a rotating fluid receiving and distributing member in said bore having a cylindrical peripheral surface,

said member having a contoured recess on said peripheral surface bounded by two lines on said peripheral surface which converge substantially to points at two circumferentially spaced apart locations, said recess communicating with either of said inlet and said outlet ports for part of the revolution of said member, and

a fluid conduit means within said distributing member communicating with said recess and an orifice in the surface of said distributing member communicating with said ports leading to said power transmitting chambers during a part of the revolution of said member, permitting fluid to flow therethrough between said recess and said orifice.

4. A fluid receiving and distributing member for a mechanical transducer having a cylindrical peripheral surface, a contoured recess formed in said member through said surface, said recess defined by two planes which intersect along a line passing through said member in a direction perpendicularly to a plane containing an axis of said member, and a fluid conduit means within said distributing member communicating with said recess and an orifice on the surface of said distributing member, permitting fluid to flow therethrough between said recess and said orifice.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,925,086 9/33 Snyder 251-207 XR 3,048,191 8/62 Crang 25l317 XR FOREIGN PATENTS 23 0,710 8/59 Australia.

M. CARY NELSON, Primary Examiner.

ISADOR WEIL, MARTIN P. SCHWADRON,

Examiners. 

4. A FLUID RECEIVING AND DISTRIBUTING MEMBER FOR A MECHANICAL TRANSDUCER HAVING A CYLINDRICAL PERIPHERAL SURFACE, A CONTOUR RECESS FORMED IN SAID MEMBER THROUGH SAID SURFACE, SAID RECESS DEFINED BY TWO PLANES WHICH INTERSECT ALONG A LINE PASSING THROUGH SAID MEMBER IN A DIRECTION PERPENDICULARLY TO A PLANE CONTAINING AN AXIS OF SAID MEMBER, AND A FLUID CONDUIT MEANS WITHIN SAID DISTRIBUTING MEMBER COMMUNICATING WITH SAID RECESS AND 